Ohio school withholds diploma because of cheering

CINCINNATI (AP) — A suburban Cincinnati high school is withholding a graduate's diploma and requiring community service as punishment for what it describes as overly boisterous cheering by his family during his graduation ceremony.

Mount Healthy City Schools Superintendent Lori Handler tells WCPO-TV (http://bit.ly/KvckUm ) families agree to avoid ceremony disruptions. She says they are unfair to others who want to hear their students' names called and then cheered.

She says the extended cheering for football player Anthony Cornist disrupted the May 23 ceremony.

His mother, Traci Cornist, says the cheering wasn't unusually loud or disruptive. She says her son shouldn't be penalized for his family and friends cheering.

The school says he has legally graduated, but it's requiring 20 hours of community service by him or his family before handing over his diploma.